The 7 Habits &

Habit #2 – Begin with the End in Mind

“Have a Plan”
I plan ahead and set goals.
I do things that have meaning and make a difference.

Parent Corner – Suggested Tips for your Child

We all know how good it feels when we’ve done something well. As parents, we’ve seen that
look in our child’s eyes when they’ve done something they are proud of - writing their name
for the first time, riding a bike or reading chapter books.

Habit 2 teaches that ‘Beginning with the End in Mind’, having a mental ‘picture’ of
achieving a goal, can lead to a better way of doing it. For example, imagine….
 Doing a 100 piece puzzle with no picture of it finished, cooking a new dish
without a recipe or driving to a new place with no map or GPS.

How to do this with your child:

1. Have your child identify a goal* that is meaningful to them.
2. Help your child visualize a ‘picture’ in their mind achieving the goal; you could even have
them draw the picture.
3. Help them break it down into manageable, specific steps – write them down.
4. Check their progress & offer support. Discuss final results & celebrate efforts.

Ideas for Goals*:

 Younger children (5-8) – do small, easy goals; intent is that they feel a sense of
pride/independence. Examples: making their own breakfast, trying a new craft, writing
a little story, decorating a cake/cookies, riding a bike.
 Older children (9-11) – do more challenging goals but with high level of interest. Intent
is to understand that a goal can take time and effort but feels great once they’ve
accomplished it. Examples: saving money for a special item they really want or
improving their skills from one of their activities (sports, art, music, dance, etc.)
 Extra Tip - when an older child comes to you with a ‘problem’, you could say, “OK,
what’s your plan to solve this?” As the parent, you are now in the role of
‘coach’, helping your child think through their plans to solve their own problems
and become more independent.

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